iGesture vcs. Touchstream Mini

[TP Diffenbach]

what are the differences between an iGesture and a Touchstream Mini?

Specifically, what are the dimensions of each, and can an iGesture be programmed, via the MyGesture editor, to have keys?

And for each, how many sensors does it have?

[TorbenGB]

The physical size and sensor array is identical, as far as I know. Also, each half of the TS keyboard is the same. FW just use the same component for several products.

The iGesture Pad doesn't have any Tap Areas, I believe. The iGesture NumPad does. The difference comes with the firmware and hardware identification, so that the Mini is recognized as such and not as an iGesture Pad. That's why I think it would be difficult to trick the MyGestyre Editor into sending a Tap Area layout to the iGesture that's really made for the Mini.

Others may know more precisely.

[TP Diffenbach]

But could you trick the firmware updater into sending an iGesture the mini firmware?

As far as the components being the same: do the single pad products (iGesture, TS Mini) have the ribbon cable attachment the two pad products have?

And are the components EXACTLY the same? I see that the left TS ST pad has a hole for a USB cable, but internally does it have a copy of the firmware and (presumably) the flash memory to hold a firmware update?

[TorbenGB]

could you trick the firmware updater

Good question. I think there's some communication going on between the software and the FW device that checks the actual firmware... so that might be an obstacle.

are the components EXACTLY the same? ... do the single-pad products ... have the ribbon cable attachment the two-pad products have?

I only said that the sensor arrays are identical. The printed circuit board underneath is probably only similar -- differing in exactly those aspects. But I haven't looked for myself, so I'm just speculating...

[Rqyteqto]

I see the cases for the TS are similar, just rotated 180 degrees so the ribbon cable slots face each other, which puts the little notch for the USB cable at the bottom on the left case vs the too on the right case. That just makes it so they only needed a single case mold and would only have to stock a single type of case parts. Which makes a lot of sense.

However, that doesn't guaranty the circuit boards inside are the same. They could be, just rotated 180 also so the ribbon cable connectors face each other. but there's nothing saying the control circuits are integral to the sensor board, other than the thinness of the cases would suggest they likely would be. Then again, the right one does have the USB connector whereas the left one doesn't.

Only way to know to know for sure would be to open a Ts up and I'm not about to go there. Mine work and as long as they do, I'm not messing with them.

Sure would be nice to know though. Love to see some photos of the insides of any FW products.

The interesting part is it appears the coord system for each are mirrors of each other, so either the sensors are independent of orientation and can be programmed to accept any rotation of the coord system, or they are indeed physically different sensor boards.

I think I remember someone saying there are actually two boards, the sensor board (which may be thin enough and sensitive enough it can read from either side - which would make mirroring them possible) and a circuit board for the electronics which could be left in the same orientation or maybe even two different types of boards.

Anybody have a dead board they'd be willing to donate for the cause. I'd even be willing to pony up some cash, say up to $100, for such. I don't know who'd be best to do the autopsy but certainly not me. I'd just be the bank for such a venture. If anybody out there does have a dead board, that's a better deal than just tossing it.

[TP Diffenbach]

I opened up the left side of my TS. No control circuitry, per se. There's a hole for the USB cable (on the top edge, a little left of center), but nothing for it to connect to.

On the bottom of the surface your fingers touch is an array of chips, eight from top to bottom and probably six from left to right.

The board is actually a sandwich of two boards; the top is the sensor surface, the bottom is about one-third as wide, and accommodates the ribbon cable attachment. How the two boards connect is not apparent, as it can't be seen without detaching one form another, which I haven't and won't do.

My hope was that mass production would have meant that the firmware and the USB mounting circuitry was duplicated on the left board; it's apparently not.

Pictures forthcoming, and even sooner if people donate to the cost of my getting a new TS.

[Max]

Pictures forthcoming, and even sooner if people donate to the cost of my getting a new TS.

Any pictures yet?

[Rqyteqto]

Like I said TP, I've got $100 towards a dead board to be autopsied. It can go for a live board just as well or just a sick one. I know that's not nearly enough but its the best I can do at this time. If the board that gets autopsied is recoverable, so much the better, The $100 is still yours.